About
Reviews
Search
Submit
Home

Mystery Books for Sale

[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]


NOT THE END OF THE WORLD
by Christopher Brookmyre
Abacus, June 1999
400 pages
7.99GBP
ISBN: 0316640654

The American Feature Film Market ­- AFFM -­ is having their annual convention in California. The majority of the movies featured here are movies that go straight to video for one reason or another. Sergeant Larry Freeman, new to the Santa Monica police force, has been selected to protect this event. While less than excited by the prospect, he quickly becomes worried by the event next door.

Luther St John is holding a Festival of Light, which obvious does not support organizations such as the AFFM. As if that is not difficult enough, Freeman must also deal with a missing research team. Their research ship is found floating in the middle of the ocean but they and their mini-sub are missing.

Steff Kennedy steps into this jumble to cover the AFFM for the British papers. As if this was not enough confusion and excitement, he finds himself falling in love with Madeleine Witherson, a former porn star-turned legitimate actress. Of course the hype surrounding her is due to the fact that her father is a senator not because of her actions. St. John's threat of a huge tidal wave washing out California and his denouncement of the Whore of Babylon, i.e. Madeleine, helps keep the weirdness moving along. Somehow Steff needs to determine who is threatening the convention as well as attempt to rescue Madeleine from her demons.

NOT THE END OF THE WORLD shows a remarkable difference from Brookmyre's first novel QUITE UGLY ONE MORNING. While both books still contain potty humor, Brookmyre has managed to move beyond those limitations to tackle other forms of humor. His willingness to expand and try other elements demonstrates his growth and strength as a writer. While NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is still quite bawdy ­- as it should be ­- it also has depth of character and plot.

This book was originally written in the 1998s and dealt with the fear and craziness that was occurring in the United States during the 1999s. Although the book is dated in this sense, it is also familiar and fresh. This is due to the fact that the United States is still crazy and strange. Even though the end of the world is no longer feared, we still have the popular culture market Brookmyre is satirizing. His thoughts and commentary on society remain relevant even though the world has moved beyond the Y2K scare.

NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is Brookmyre's third book.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, January 2004

[ Top ]


QUICK SEARCH:

 

Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]